NorthCarolina
5
Day Itinerary •
USA
Five days in North Carolina lets you explore the full extraordinary breadth of the Tar Heel State, from the vibrant mountain city of Asheville and the extraordinary Blue Ridge Parkway to the magnificent Great Smoky Mountains, the extraordinary Outer Banks barrier islands and the finest craft beer, farm-to-table food and Cherokee heritage in the eastern United States. This route covers the complete North Carolina experience. The extraordinary Biltmore Estate and River Arts District of Asheville, the most scenic road in America along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the extraordinary Cades Cove elk meadows of the Smokies, the extraordinary Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the wild ponies of the Outer Banks.
Best Time To Visit
May to June or October for peak fall foliage
Getting There
Fly into Asheville (AVL) or Charlotte (CLT) then drive
Getting Around
Rental car essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx $120 to $200 per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, some hiking
DAY 1
ASHEVILLE
MORNING
BILTMORE ESTATE, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY PRIVATE HOME IN AMERICA
The Biltmore Estate is the most extraordinary private home in America, its extraordinary 250-room French Renaissance chateau built by George Vanderbilt between 1889 and 1895 set in 8,000 acres of Blue Ridge landscape designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The Banquet Hall with its 70-foot ceiling, the library of 10,000 volumes, the extraordinary indoor pool and the winery tasting are all unmissable. The gardens in spring and fall color are extraordinary. Entry approx $70. Drive: 15 min drive
MIDDAY
RIVER ARTS DISTRICT, THE FINEST CREATIVE QUARTER IN THE SOUTH
Asheville's River Arts District along the French Broad River houses over 200 working artists in extraordinary converted warehouse spaces. The studios are open to visitors and the artists work in full view. The extraordinary murals along the rail corridor and the glass studios at the centre are among the finest in the American South. The extraordinary RAD Brewhouse is the finest brewery in the district. Free. Drive: 10 min walk
AFTERNOON
DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE, THE GROVE ARCADE AND PACK SQUARE
Downtown Asheville is the most vibrant small city in the South, its extraordinary Art Deco architecture, independent galleries and extraordinary density of craft breweries unlike anywhere else in the Appalachians. The 1929 Grove Arcade public market is the finest indoor market in the region. The Lexington Avenue arts corridor and Pack Square with its extraordinary buskers and street food vendors are unmissable. Free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Omni Grove Park Inn, built in 1913 directly into the face of Sunset Mountain, is the finest historic resort in the Appalachians. Its extraordinary Arts and Crafts great hall with two 14-foot stone fireplaces is the most extraordinary interior in Asheville. Non-guests can visit the spa from $50. The sunset view from the terrace over the Blue Ridge is the finest in the city.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Early Girl Eatery, Asheville The finest Southern breakfast in the city. Extraordinary biscuits, local eggs and mountain-cured ham. | Lunch: The Market Place, Asheville Outstanding farm-to-table lunch. Local trout, heirloom vegetables and NC craft beer. | Dinner: Cúrate, Asheville The finest restaurant in Asheville. Extraordinary Spanish tapas with local Appalachian ingredients. Book ahead.
DAY 2
THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
MORNING
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, THE MOST SCENIC ROAD IN AMERICA
The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most extraordinary scenic road in America, its extraordinary 469-mile ridgeline route along the crest of the Appalachians giving 165 overlooks of extraordinary mountain scenery. The section around Milepost 355 near Asheville gives the finest views of the Black Mountains, home to the highest peaks east of the Mississippi. The extraordinary Craggy Gardens at Milepost 364 blooms with rhododendrons in June. Free. Drive: 45 min drive
MIDDAY
LINVILLE FALLS AND LINVILLE GORGE WILDERNESS
Linville Falls near Milepost 316 is the most extraordinary waterfall on the Blue Ridge Parkway, its two-tiered plunge of the Linville River into the Linville Gorge below giving extraordinary views from multiple short trail options. The Linville Gorge Wilderness is the deepest gorge in the eastern United States, its extraordinary vertical walls earning it the name Grand Canyon of the East. Entry free. Trails from 0.2 to 1.6 miles. Drive: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN AND BOONE
Grandfather Mountain at 5,946 feet gives the most extraordinary sky-level experience accessible by car in the Appalachians, its extraordinary Mile High Swinging Bridge suspended between rocky peaks giving exposure to open sky above the clouds. The Appalachian State University town of Boone is the finest mountain college town in the South, its extraordinary downtown of galleries and restaurants extraordinary in any season. Entry to mountain approx $25.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Rough Ridge Trail at Milepost 302 is the finest short hike on the entire Blue Ridge Parkway, its extraordinary 0.9-mile loop climbing rocky outcrops above the treeline for 360-degree views over Linville Valley. Best at sunrise when mist fills the valleys below the granite. Free. Almost entirely unknown to visitors who stop only at the developed overlooks.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Coffee at a Parkway overlook Thermos coffee at dawn above the mist. The most extraordinary free breakfast in the Appalachians. | Lunch: Shatley Springs Inn, Crumpler Extraordinary all-you-can-eat Southern lunch since 1928. Ham, biscuits, corn and sweet tea. | Dinner: The Speckled Trout, Blowing Rock Outstanding local mountain trout, NC craft beer and Blue Ridge views from the finest deck in the highlands.
DAY 3
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
MORNING
CLINGMANS DOME, THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE GREAT SMOKIES
Clingmans Dome at 6,644 feet is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains and the highest point on the entire Appalachian Trail. The extraordinary observation tower at the summit gives a 360-degree view over layers of extraordinary blue-green ridges stretching to the horizon in every direction. The paved half-mile trail from the parking area is steep but extraordinary at sunrise before the crowds. Entry free. Road closed December to March. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
CADES COVE, THE FINEST WILDLIFE VALLEY IN THE EAST
Cades Cove is the most extraordinary valley in the Great Smoky Mountains, its extraordinary 11-mile loop road past preserved 19th-century log homesteads, grist mills and churches giving the finest wildlife viewing in the eastern United States. The herd of over 150 elk reintroduced in 2001 grazes the open meadows at dawn and dusk. White-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and river otter are all extraordinary here. Entry free. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
DEEP CREEK WATERFALLS AND BRYSON CITY
The Deep Creek area near Bryson City is the finest hidden corner of the North Carolina Smokies, its extraordinary network of waterfall trails through old-growth hemlock and poplar forest entirely different from the crowded Newfound Gap corridor. Juney Whank Falls, Tom Branch Falls and Indian Creek Falls form an extraordinary 2-mile waterfall loop. The town of Bryson City with its extraordinary Nantahala Outdoor Center is the finest base in the area. Entry free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Cataloochee Valley on the eastern Smokies is the finest hidden valley in the national park, its remote meadows home to the largest elk herd in the east and extraordinary 19th-century farmsteads. The 45-minute drive on a gravel road keeps the crowds away. Elk bugling at dusk in October is the most extraordinary wildlife sound in the Appalachians. Free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Fryemont Inn, Bryson City The finest historic lodge breakfast in the Smokies. Mountain biscuits, local jam and strong coffee. | Lunch: Anthony Creek picnic area Pack lunch from Bryson City. The extraordinary picnic tables in old-growth forest beside the creek are free. | Dinner: Cork and Barrel, Bryson City Outstanding local mountain cuisine. NC trout, slow-cooked pork and local craft beer in the finest Smoky town.
DAY 4
CHEROKEE AND THE NANTAHALA
MORNING
MUSEUM OF THE CHEROKEE INDIAN, THE MOST IMPORTANT MUSEUM IN WESTERN NC
The Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee is the most important cultural museum in western North Carolina, its extraordinary collection of artifacts, multimedia exhibits and oral histories telling the extraordinary story of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the only Native American tribe that successfully resisted removal during the Trail of Tears. The extraordinary Unto These Hills drama performed nearby is the longest-running outdoor drama in America. Entry approx $15. Drive: 10 min drive
MIDDAY
OCONALUFTEE INDIAN VILLAGE AND THE QUALLA BOUNDARY
The Oconaluftee Indian Village is a living history museum recreating a 1750s Cherokee village in extraordinary detail, with tribal members demonstrating traditional crafts including blowgun making, pottery, beadwork and basket weaving. The extraordinary Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual cooperative is the oldest Native American arts cooperative in the United States. Entry to village approx $25. Drive: 45 min drive
AFTERNOON
NANTAHALA GORGE, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY RIVER GORGE IN THE CAROLINAS
The Nantahala Gorge is the most extraordinary river gorge in western North Carolina, its extraordinary walls of ancient Appalachian rock channeling the Nantahala River through rapids that define whitewater rafting in the eastern United States. The Nantahala Outdoor Center at the gorge exit is the largest outdoor recreation center in the east. The gorge drive on US-19W is extraordinary in any season. Rafting from approx $45.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Appalachian Trail crosses the North Carolina and Tennessee border at Fontana Dam, the highest dam east of the Rocky Mountains. The Fontana Dam Shelter is known as the Hilton among thru-hikers for its extraordinary amenities. The view from the dam spillway over Fontana Lake and the Smokies is the most extraordinary in western North Carolina. Free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Granny's Kitchen, Cherokee The finest traditional Cherokee breakfast in the Qualla Boundary. Homemade biscuits and local honey. | Lunch: Nantahala Village Restaurant Outstanding mountain lunch at the gorge. Local trout, Cherokee bean bread and sweet tea. | Dinner: Midnight Hole, Murphy Extraordinary local mountain cuisine in the finest small town near the Nantahala. Local sourced everything.
DAY 5
THE OUTER BANKS
MORNING
CAPE HATTERAS NATIONAL SEASHORE, THE GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC
Cape Hatteras National Seashore is the most extraordinary barrier island coastline on the East Coast, its extraordinary 70-mile stretch of wild beach, maritime forest and historic lighthouses entirely undeveloped by National Park Service designation. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse in America at 198 feet, gives the most extraordinary view over the Diamond Shoals where over 2,000 ships have wrecked. Entry free, lighthouse climb approx $10. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
COROLLA WILD HORSES, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY FREE-ROAMING HORSES IN AMERICA
The Corolla wild horses of the northern Outer Banks are the most extraordinary free-roaming horses in America, a herd of approximately 100 Colonial Spanish mustangs descended from horses brought by Spanish explorers in the 1500s. The horses roam freely along the beach and through the neighborhoods of Corolla. A 4WD vehicle is required to reach the wild horse area north of the end of NC-12. Tours from approx $45. Extraordinary. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
JOCKEY'S RIDGE STATE PARK AND THE KILL DEVIL HILLS
Jockey's Ridge State Park contains the most extraordinary sand dunes on the East Coast, its extraordinary 80-foot-high living dune system giving a landscape unlike anything else in North Carolina. The view from the top over the sound and the Atlantic simultaneously is extraordinary. The Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hills, where the first powered flight took place on December 17, 1903, is the most extraordinary historic site on the Outer Banks. Entry free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on the Outer Banks is the finest birding destination on the East Coast, its extraordinary combination of ocean beach, freshwater ponds and salt marsh attracting over 365 species including extraordinary concentrations of snow geese, tundra swans and shorebirds during migration. Entry free. The North Pond trail is the finest short walk on the Outer Banks.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Front Porch Cafe, Manteo Coffee and fresh pastries in the finest historic town on the Outer Banks before the beach drive. | Lunch: Sam and Omie's, Nags Head The most legendary seafood shack on the Outer Banks since 1937. Extraordinary local shrimp, crab and oysters. | Dinner: 1587 Restaurant, Manteo Outstanding local seafood in the finest restaurant on the Outer Banks. NC crab, flounder and local wine.
Where To Stay
Asheville, Nights 1 to 2 Inn on Biltmore Estate or Omni Grove Park Inn. Approx $150 to $300 per night. Cherokee or Bryson City, Night 3 Harrah's Cherokee or Nantahala Outdoor Center. Approx $100 to $180 per night. Outer Banks, Nights 4 to 5 Sanderling Resort Duck or Inn at Corolla Light. Approx $120 to $250 per night.
Top Tips
1. The Blue Ridge Parkway at dawn with mist filling the valleys is the finest sight in the Appalachians. Free.
2. Clingmans Dome at sunrise before the crowds arrive gives the most extraordinary 360-degree view in the east.
3. Asheville breweries are extraordinary. Wicked Weed, Hi-Wire and Burial Beer are the three finest.
4. Cataloochee Valley for elk at dusk is the finest hidden wildlife experience in the eastern United States.
5. Corolla wild ponies are best seen by 4WD on the beach north of the road's end. Arrive before 8am.
6. Biltmore Estate midweek in October, with fall color on the grounds, is the most extraordinary visit.
Total Budget
$120 to $200/day